Towel dispenser



March 29, 1960 R. L. WEISS 2,930,663

TOWEL DISPENSER Filed Jan. 19. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 RHVMO/VD L. Wrss; INVENTOR.

A'TmeA/Ey.

March 29, 1960 R. L. WEISS TOWEL DISPENSER Filed Jan. 19, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII IIIIIIII RflyMaA/D L. WEISS,

IN VEN TOR.

March 29, 1960 R. WEISS 2,

TOWEL DISPENSER Filed Jan. 19, 1955 4 SheetsSheet 3 BflkMO/VD .L. Fi e/SS,

I N V EN TOR.

March 29, 1960 R. WEISS TOWEL DISPENSER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 19, 1955 MAW hiin

.lekvmnmunllllaska HVVENTDR.

flrraen/ey n et TOWEL DISPENSER Raymond L. Weiss, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Application January 19, 1955, Serial No. 482,856

16 Claims. (Cl. 312-38) The present invention relates generally to a towel dispenser, and relates more specifically to a dispenser for use primarily in connection with continuous roll cloth toweling.

Heretofore, with dispensers for use with continuous roll cloth toweling, a roll of such toweling was suitably placed in a dispenser cabinet and connected to a rewind mechanism. When the roll of toweling was exhausted, the trailing end thereof was commonly pulled free and permitted to hang downwardly, thus indicating the need for replacement of the roll. In many instances, servicing of the dispensers had not been at sufficient intervals as to enable replacement of the toweling before all available dispensers were exhausted. Accordingly, it had been necessary for individuals to either forego the use of such toweling or to resort to the use of soiled portions of the toweling. Practices of this type are not only unsanitary but additionally are contrary to the desires of most individuals.

Efiorts to provide larger dispensers utilizing longer rolls of toweling still present the same problem, inasmuch as the soiled rolls are generally not replaced until the roll is entirely exhausted. In other instances, efforts have been made to provide a second roll of toweling which would be available after a first roll was exhausted. However, the prior devices employing such a principle have failed to achieve continuous towel service that operates automatically when a new roll is to replace one that has been consumed, and none of them has included any facilities by means of which the dispenser could be serviced to provide continuous towel service prior to complete consumption of the second or spare roll of toweling without requiring removal of the roll itself.

One important object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a novel towel dispenser wherein a dual supply of toweling is arranged in a manner permitting continuous exposure of such toweling at a point of use, together with means for independently collecting each of the toweling rolls whereby to permit servicing, i.e., independent removal of soiled toweling from one roll, prior to complete exhaustion of another roll.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide a novel towel dispenser wherein various portions of the dispenser and mechanism utilized therein serve a dual purpose in order that there may be a saving in space within a suitable cabinet enclosing the dispenser.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a towel dispenser having novel means for releasably connecting one roll of toweling with a second roll of toweling in a manner permitting end to end rela servicing the dispenser the first roll is removed while the second roll remains active and a new reserve roll is added,

and so on, to provide continuous towel service even when an active roll is consumed.

Other and further important objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the towel dispenser of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the dispenser, as taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the dispenser frame stru ture and associated mechanism;

Fig. 4 is anelevational view of one side of the dispenser and showing the roller coupling timing mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the collecting station and winding or rolling mechanism for soiled toweling;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the soiled toweling release mechanism, as taken Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the attachment member for the towel rolls; and

Figs. 9 through 13 schematically illustrate the mechanism of the present dispenser with parts in various positions in successive stages of operation.

With reference to the drawings, the towel dispenser of the present invention comprises a frame structure, indicated generally at 10, which supports an ornamental housing or cabinet 11. The forward portion of the housing 11 is provided with a door 12 that is movable about a horizontal hinge 13. The door 12 is provided with a mirror 14 located on the upper forward portion thereof and a lock 15 secures the door in position. One of the side panels 16 is provided with a viewing window 17 through which the supply of toweling may be seenin order to determine whether there is any need for service without actually opening the cabinet. I

As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame structure it comprises generally vertically disposed side plates 20 that are maintained in spaced relationship by a plurality of interconnecting rods 22 and a channel bar 24. A lower shelf 26 is disposed between the lower ends of the side, plates 20 and secured thereto by flanges 28 and screws or the like 30. The shelf 26 has a bottom wall portion 32 and a curved outer end portion 34 with generally vertically directed sides, or guide or centering members 36. The rearward portion of the side plates 20 are maintained in rigid spaced relationship by a transversely disposed back guide member 38 that is secured in position midway between the top and bottom of the cabinet by means of screws or the like 40. The lower end of the guide member 3-8 is bent inwardly or forwardly as at 42 in order that a smooth guide surface may be presented Y to-the toweling as it advances toward the guide member.

a In order to provide support means for one of the rolls of toweling in the cabinet, a central or intermediate shelf 44 is pivotally connected at 46 with the sideplates 20.

The shelf 44 has side guide or centering members 48 and.

a curved outer, or front, end portion 50 that normally rests upon the transverse channel 24.

A first or active supply roll of toweling T is adapted to rest upon the central shelf 44 with toweling extending therefrom, about the outer, or front, end of the portion 50 of the shelf 44 and about a pressure roller 52. The pressure roller 52 is carried by a shaft 54 which is journaled in slots 56 in the side plates 20. The toweling thereafter passes about a primary drive roller 58 that is carried by a shaft 60 which is journaled in bearings 62 carried by the side plates 20. The outer surface of the roller 58 is coated with a frictional material and the pressure roller 52 is biased toward the frictional material which is disposed in the upper rearward portion of the cabinet and mounted on a suitable shaft 72 which is journaled in the side plates 20. The outer surface of the roller 72 is also provided with a frictional material and the toweling is maintained in contact therewith by means U of a pressure roller 74 having a shaft 75 rotatably disposed in slots 76 in the side plates 20. From the secondary drive roller 70, the toweling passes to a collecting o'r take-up station indicated generally at 78.

In order that the loop L in the portion of the toweling hanging below the cabinet may be maintained at a constant length, the shafts 60 and 72, associated respectively with the drive rollers 58 and 70, extend beyond the outer surface of one of the side plates 20 and have afiixed thereto sprockets 80 and 82, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A chain 84 is disposed about these sprockets, and about an idler sprocket 86 and a soiled portion roll-driving sprocket 88. The rollers 58 and 70 are of equal diameter, and the sprockets 80, 82 and 88 are also of equal diameter. The sprockets 86 and 88 are mounted on shafts 90 and 92 which are in turn carried by one of the side plates 20; The sprocket 88 has associated therewith a ratchet 94 and a leaf spring pawl 96 which restricts movement of the chain to one direction, as indi cated by the arrow 97 in Fig. 4. The ratchet 94 also serves as a gear for driving a mating gear 98 that is carrred on a shaft 100. The shaft 100 is rotatably disposed in generally horizontally arranged slots 102 in the side plates 20. The shaftllltl supports a rewind roller 104 which'is disposed between the side plates 20. The ends of the rewind roller 104 terminate with gears 186 which are used for a special purpose tobe described hereinafter. As shown primarily in Fig. 2, a second, or reserve, supply roll of toweling T is adapted for rotatable disposition upon the lower shelf 26. By means of an interconnecting flexible structure 108, the trailing end of the first, or active, supply toweling roll T and the leading end of the reserve toweling roll T are connected together, so that use of the reserve roll is commenced automatically when the first roll is consumed.

The interconnecting mechanism between the two,

toweling rolls is shown primarily in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. As shown in Fig. 8, the connection to the leading end of the second towel-ing roll comprises a transversely disposed elongated shaft 110 that has an elongated clamp member 112 pivoted at 114 to one end thereof. The clamp member 112 is provided with teeth 116 so as to provide means for positively engaging the toweling beassumes tween the clamp member and the shaft 110. The clamp member is locked in position by means of a pin lock member 118 at the end of the shaft remote from the pivot 1-14. The outer ends of the shaft 110 carry enlarged bushings 120 which are fixed thereto in spaced relationship to the ends of the clamp member 112. The bushings 120 support gears 122 and, on the outer ends thereof, rollers 124 that are rotatably maintained on the outer end of the shaft 110 by means of pins or the like 126. A pair of flexible cords 128 are looped about the shaft 11% intermediate the ends of the clamping member 112 and the bushings 120. The ends of the cords 128 carry loop connection portions or eyes 130.

As shown in Fig. 7, the loop portions 130, on the flexible cords 128, are adapted to be hooked over ends of a shaft 132 that is clamped to the leading end of the reserve toweling roll T by means of a clamp member 134 similar to the clamp member 112. Washers 1'36 mounted on the outer ends of the shaft '132 serve to retain the loops in position on the shaft. It is thus seen that the trailing end of the first toweling roll T is removably connected to the leading end of the second toweling r-oll T by means of a flexible connection established through use of the interconnecting mechanism 108.

In practice each strip of toweling is attached to a similar shaft 110 and is rolled onto it, and a bar 132 is attached to the outer end of the roll to prepare a roll for use in this dispenser. But when the dispenser is initially loaded the leading end of the first roll of toweling is also fitted with the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 and the toweling is passed over the rollers 58 and 70 in the manner hereinbefore described. The rollers 124, carried by the outer ends of the shaft 110 on the first roll are disposed between stationary stop members 138 that are mounted on the side plates 20 and stationary tracks or guide members indicated generally at 140 (see Fig. 5), and adjacentthe gear 106; The guide members 140 include straight portions 141 that extend diagonally upwardly merging into curved track portions 142 and into generally horizontal track portions 144. The guide members thereafter extend generally downwardly in curved rearward track portions 146. The track members 140 are secured to the side plates 20 by means of screws '148 (see Fig. 2). Thus, the gears 122 at the leading end of the first roll of toweling are meshed with the starting gears 106 so that the latter can rotate the shaft 110 to roll the soiled toweling thereabout as the toweling is manually moved through the device by a downward pull applied manually to the front end of loop L.

As the soiled roll becomes larger, the outer peripheral 1 portion thereof engages the roller 104, which then continues-to take up soiled toweling as delivered from the roller 70 even when the gears 122 are lifted out of mesh with the starting gears 106. As the roll of soiled toweling at the collecting station 78 becomes still larger, the rollers 124 travel outwardly from the driving gear 106 and are supported between movable guide members 150,

which are pivoted as at 152 to the side plates 20, and switch tracks 154 which are pivoted to the side plates 20 at 156. The ends of the switch tracks 154, remote from their pivots 156, are adapted for engagement with the lower ends of the portions 1410f the tracks 140. The outer ends of the pivots 156 extend through the side plates 20 andhave c'ounterwei'ghts 158 (see Fig. 4) connected thereto which serveto bias the switch tracks 154 toward the track portions 141. The tracks have beveled ends 150 (see Fig. 5) that are adapted for engagement with beveled ends 161 of the stop members 1 38,'the tracks 150 being biased into contact with the stops 138 by means of 20. Normally, the latch members 166 engage the tracks 150 at points 170 above thepivots- 15 2 and. rest upon upper Surfaces of the curved portions 142 of the tracks 140. It is thus seen that the tracks 150' serveas guide means for the rollers 124 and thus also serve to support the soiled roll of toweling as it increases in diameter due to accumulation about the shaft 110. Inwardly directed guide plates 172 that are mounted on the side plates 20, and that extend to the space confined between the various portions of the tracks 140, serve to guide the rolling of soiled toweling about the shaft 110 in order to maintain an even roll.

Figure schematically illustrates the condition of the various rolls in the present dispenser just prior to exhaustion of the first active roll T. As this roll becomes exhausted, as illustrated in Fig. 11, the flexible interconnecting mechanism 108 between the active and reserve rolls is drawn over the roller '58. As the toweling is advanced, the mechanism is carried upwardly to the roller 70. Then, as indicated in Fig. 12, as the rollers 124, carried by the shaft 110, pass along the upper surfaces of the portions 144 of the tracks 140, they engage the latch members 166, lifting them to the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 2, and to the position shown in Fig. 12, thereby permitting the weight of the now-consumed roll of soiled toweling to swing the guides 150 away from the stops 138 and to the position shown in Fig. 12, and permitting the soiled roll of toweling to drop from the collecting station 78 and to where it is stored pending servicing of the dispenser, as shown in Fig. 13.

. In some instances, it is desirable to place a sanitary partition 17-4 intermediate the collecting station 78 andthe central shelf 44, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to prevent contamination of the shelf 44. 'In this instance, the sanitary partition is carried by a transverse rod 176 and is biased toward an upper position, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of tension springs 178 that are also attached at 180 to the side plates 20.

1 Simultaneous with movement of the tracks 150 to the open position, as shown in Fig. 12, levers 180 carried by the outer ends of the pivots 152 for the tracks 150 (see Figs. 2 and 4) are moved downwardly out of engagement with notches 182 in levers 184, which are in turn pivoted at 186 to the side plates 20. The lower ends of the levers 184 rotatably support the shaft 180 intermediate the gear 98 and the side plates so that, upon disengagement of the levers 180 with the notches 182, the shaft 100 is moved in the horizontal slot 102, thus moving the gear 98 out of engagement with the ratchet gear 94. This action permits free'rotation of the shaft 100 so as not to impede movement of the roll of toweling as the soiled roll moves from the collecting station 78 to the waste storage station, as indicated generally at 188, and formed either by the central shelf 44 or the partition 174.

Thereafter, the rollers 124, carried by the leading end of the reserve roll of toweling, pass between the various portions of the tracks 140 and switch tracks 154 and past the lower ends of the switch tracks 154 onto the stop members 138, to be disposed as previously discussed in the collecting station 78 and in position between the guides 140 and the stop members 138. Simultaneously, the tracks 150 return to their original position contacting the stops 138.

At this time the roll T that was previously a reserve roll becomes an active roll. As this roll is used the starting gears 106 commence the winding and the roll grows as explained above in describing the action of the first active roll. But as the second active roll is rolled up the first active roll remains undisturbed in the storage station 188 because of the fact that the shaft 132 turns freely in the eyes 130.

With reference to Figs. 13 and 9, at some time between the exhaustion of the first supply roll of toweling and the exhaustion of the second supply roll of toweling, the dispenser may be serviced. The first roll of toweling, now soiled and indicated at T" in Fig. 13, is disconnected from the flexible cords 128 and removed from the cabinet.

Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 9, the central shelf 44 is lifted to the dotted line position and the second roll of toweling T' is placed upon the open cover door 12. A new reserve roll of toweling is thereafter placed in the bottom of the cabinet and upon the lower shelf 32 with the former reserve roll of toweling now being replaced upon the central shelf 44 in the place of the first roll. While the new roll of toweling is in the base portion of the cabinet and resting upon the lower shelf 32, and the other roll of toweling is resting upon the cover 12, the respective inner and outer end portions are attached together by means of the flexible cords 128 so that the process may be repeated as hereinbefore described.

It will have been noted that the shelf 44 serves a dual purpose in order to enable as much space saving as possible within the dispenser. Initially, the shelf 44 serves as the means for rotatably supporting the first roll of clean toweling and thereafter serves as the storage station for soiled toweling fromthe same first roll as delivered thereto from the collecting station 78. The effect of the particular arrangement in the present invention is that of creating a novel dispenser for. roll type toweling that has,

the various features of noveltyset forth hereinbefore and which may be used in a cabinet only slightly larger than conventional single roll dispensers.

While the present invention has been described particularly in detail with respect to the use of the dispenser for toweling that may be used for drying the hands and the like, it is to be understood that the dispenser may have other applications, such as, for example, for dispensing roller type material for other purposes, and may be employed as such without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment thereof, it is desiredto emphasize the fact that many modifications may be therein within the scope of the following claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a towel dispenser: a supply of clean toweling; supporting means for said clean toweling; collecting means for soiled toweling; means for advancing toweling from said supporting means to saidcollecting means, a section of said toweling being exposed for use between said supporting and said collecting means; a supply of additional clean toweling; means for supporting said additional clean toweling; means for separably connecting said additional clean toweling with said first. mentioned clean toweling; and means responsive to the-travel of toweling from said supporting means toward said collecting means for automatically removing said first mentioned clean toweling, following soiling thereof, from said collecting means and for immediately thereafter depositing soiled portions of said additional clean toweling for collection therein.

2. A towel dispenser according to claim 1 wherein storage means are provided for receiving soiled toweling automatically removed from said collecting means.

. 3. A towel dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said supplies of both first mentioned and additional clean toweling are in the form of rolls and said connecting means connects a trailing end of said first mentioned roll with a leading end of said additional roll.

4. A towel dispenser according to claim 1 wherein means, responsive to movement of soiled portions of said additional toweling to a position adjacent said collecting means, are provided for initiating operation of said automatic removing means.

5. A towel dispenser comprising: a frame structure; a first roll of clean toweling disposed for rotation in said structure; a collecting station in said structure for soiled toweling; means for feeding and progressively conducting said toweling for exposure at a point of use and to said collecting station; a second roll of clean toweling adapted for rotatable disposition in said structure; means for connecting a trailing end of said first roll of toweling with a leading end of said second roll of toweling whereby towelgamma 17 ing from said second full is conducted past said point of use when said first roll is exhausted; means controlled by the travel of toweling in said second roll past said point of use'for delivering sa'id first roll of soiled toweling from said collecting station to a storage area; and means also controlled by the travel of said second roll past said point of use for disposing said leading end of said second roll of toweling in 'said collecting station after said first roll has been delivered to said storage area.

6. A towel dispenser according to claim wherein means are provided for guiding said leading end of said second roll into said collecting station.

7. A towel dispenser according to claim 5 wherein means are provided for initially positively rolling soiled toweling of any roll in said collecting station, said positive rolling means being carried by a leading portion of said toweling and removable therewith from said collecting station.

8. A towel dispenser comprising: a frame structure; a first roll of clean toweling; means for supporting said clean toweling for rotation in said frame structure; primary roller means for guiding said clean toweling from said first roll and to a position for use; a collecting station for soiled toweling; secondary roller means for guiding soiled toweling from said position foruse to said collecting station; means for rolling soiled toweling in said collecting station; 'a second roll of clean toweling disposed for rotation in said frame structure; flexible means for connecting together a trailing end of said first roll of clean toweling and a leading end of said second roll of cleantoweling; and means responsive to the passage.

of said flexible means into said collecting station to release soiled toweling from said collecting station and to a storage station, and to deposit said leading end of said second roll in a position to be rolled in said collecting station.

9. A towel dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said primary and secondary roller 'means are of equal diameters and means are provided for rotatably coupling each of said roller means together for simultaneous rotation.

10. A towel dispenser according to claim 9 wherein said coupling means comprises a chain which is also connected for driving said soiled toweling rolling means.

11. A towel dispenser according to claim 10 wherein means are provided for disengaging said soiled toweling driving means from said coupling means when a roll of soiled toweling 'is released from said collecting station and until said roll of soiled towling approaches said storage station.

12. A towel dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said means for supporting said first roll of clean toweling is positioned at said storage to receive soiled toweling from said first roll when released from said collecting station. v

13. A towel dispenser according to claim 8 wherein a sanitary holder is disposed at said storage station to receive soiled toweling released from said collecting station.

' 14. A towel dispenser comprising, in combination: a

frame structure; means for supporting a first roll of clean toweling for rotation in said frame structure; a primary roller rotatably disposed in said frame structure for guiding clean toweling from said first roll and to a looped positionfor use thereof; a collecting station for soiled toweling; asecondary roller rotatably disposed in said frame structure for guiding soiled toweling from said looped position to said collecting station; roller means for rolling soiled toweling in said collecting station; means for rotatably interconnecting said primary and secondary rollers and said roller means; means for supporting a second roll of clean toweling for rotation in said frame structure; a flexible interconnecting structure for connecting a trailing end of said first roll of clean toweling with a leading end of said second roll of clean toweling; said structure comprising transversely disposed rods adapted to be clamped to said ends of said toweling; cords connecting the ends of said rods; guide rollers rotatably disposed on the outer ends of one of said rods; track means for guiding said guide rollers toward said collecting station; latch means responsive to the passage of said guide rollers through'said track means for releasing soiled toweling from said collecting station; and a storage station adapted to receive a released roll of soiled toweling in said storage station, movement of a released roll to said storage station serving to draw said leading end of said second roll of said clean toweling into a position to be rolled in said collecting station.

15. A towel dispenser according to claim 14 wherein switch track means are provided to prevent removal of said leading end of said second roll of clean toweling to said collecting station until said first roll is released to said storage station.

. 16. A towel dispenser comprising: a frame structure; means for supporting a first roll of clean toweling disposed in said structure; collecting means for soiled toweling; means for progressively conducting said toweling for exposure of a loop portion at a point of use; means for supporting a second roll of clean toweling disposed in said structure; means controlled by movement of said toweling past said point of use for feeding used toweling to said collecting means; and means connecting the trailing end of said first roll of toweling with the leading end of said second roll of toweling whereby toweling from said second roll is similarly fed past said point of use when said first roll is exhausted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,234 Clark May 8, 1860 1,051,630 Pezzaglia Jan. 28, 1913 1,456,124 Dusseris May 22, 1923 1,470,942 Steiner Oct. 16, 1923 1,540,831 Moos Oct. 16, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 56,853 Austria Dec. 27', 1912 21,799 Great Britain of 1906 143,340 Great Britain May 27, 1920 

